Points are shared, today, on the believer’s accountability and complicity for the death of Jesus Christ upon the cross as sacrifice and substitute for sinners. More than confession that centers in admission of guilt and wrongdoing must appear for those seeking divine salvation. Also, those exalting Christ as Savior continue to be threatened with bodily harm, excommunication, homelessness, persecution, poverty, and violence. There can be no release or separation from the condemnation earned through sin while staying focused upon ones old life of disobedience and willfulness. Confession that is acknowledgement of need must appear that expresses humility, respect, and reverence as well as the bold public proclamation of ones acceptance of Jesus Christ as the divine Lamb provided from the Father for remission of sin. Therefore, for the disciples and followers of Jesus, confession is the first step in gaining access to atonement, rebirth, repentance, and sanctification. Such features as the doctrine, forgiveness, miracles and parables of the Lord were incomplete, and lacked full power to save without the revelation that would come by his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. Sin is not alive, and does not display carnal form as do the living; yet, sin has direction, effect, and “presence”. Sin opposes the continued existence of divine law, the Law Giver, and divine order throughout the universe. Because sin operates within created beings and living creatures through their awareness and self-will, sin can not be recognized as destructive, foreign, and contrary to existence without such sacred provisions as covenant, inheritance, praise, prayer, promise, and prophecy. Readers are encouraged to reflect on the following from the Bible, and the presentation below:
Psalms 32: 4-6, King James Version (KJV): 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. 6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
Matthew 10: 32-33, KJV: 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
John 12: 42-43, KJV: 42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Romans 10: 8-11, KJV: 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Romans 14: 11, KJV: 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
A writer at “Yahoo! Answers“ using the ID “Charlily” (Level 2 with 909 points, a member since February 11, 2016) posted the following:
Help! I killed Jesus in my dream??
Okay so last night I stayed up really late reading my Bible. When I got to sleep, I had a dream where I was one of the Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus!! And I even nailed him to the cross!! I'm really scared now, I've been praying all day for forgiveness but I'm still afraid that I'm going to hell... what do I do? Help!
THE GOLDEN ARROW: This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1st John 1: 5-10, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: When GOD Never Forgives? (12/28/2015); Ongoing and Unfinished? (11/22/2015); Penance? (10/09/2015); To Err is Human? (07/24/2015); Saved by a Prayer? (10/31/2014); Is Prayer an Act of Faith? (11/01/2014); Confessing Only to GOD? (04/08/2013); Evidence of the Unseen Spirit? (04/09/2013)
“Charlily”, by dying upon the cross as our substitute, Jesus has made possible new meaning and value for our confessions of belief in his divine ministry as well as our confessions of error and sin. The attitudes, behavior, and spirit displayed by our “old man” is not approved or justified. Even so, the Savior’s blood now endorses our new commitment, projects a more correct and detailed confession, and declares we are righteous because we acknowledge the Father through the Son. Every believer who comes to GOD through Jesus Christ must pass through multiple layers of gradual change and growth. The imparted Spirit we speak of as “divine seed” will remain as a permanent aspect of our new character and nature. Yet, born again, we must “grow up” and mature as persons having spirit content from the makeup of GOD. Disciples and followers of Jesus are to experience the Savior dying upon the cross within their own awareness and indwelling spirit. Each believer will be moved to acknowledge accountability for their own disobedience and opposition to divine law, should affirm their own need for new life from GOD, should repent and sorrow for sin as well as rejoice in the finished work of the cross. That you report having turned to GOD in prayer says, you trusted you could be heard, and even could be answered. Go further: Trust that, despite time and space, through operations of the Holy Spirit, blood and truth from the cross are flowing to here and now. Begin to confess having the specific expectations (we say, hopes) commanded for us by Christ. Hear how this is stated using language from the Bible:
(1.) Psalms 36: 6-8, King James Version (KJV): 6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. 7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
(2.) Isaiah 12: 1-3, KJV: 1 And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. 2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
(3.) Romans 5: 7-10, KJV: 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
There is far more to be said, understood, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4.) 1st John 2: 1-5, KJV: 1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
No comments:
Post a Comment